1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a document handler which includes a staple mode.
2. Discussion of the Background
Document handler systems which include a staple mode are known in which sheets of a document can be stapled together prior to being discharged from an image forming apparatus. One example of such a document handler system is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application No. 5-590.
FIG. 1 of this Japanese document 5-590 is reprinted here as FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 10, the document handler of this Japanese document 5-590 includes a stapler unit 3 attached to a main body 1 of a copying machine as an image forming apparatus. In this device, a copy sheet is formed in the main body 1, and is ejected through an outlet of the main body 1 and is fed by rollers 901 in the stapler unit 3. In the staple mode, a copy sheet is fed by the rollers 901 to a finishing tray 400 and is further fed by the brush roller 101 towards an end fence 102 on the finishing tray 100. With this operation, a leading edge of the copy sheet is aligned on the end fence 102. Side fences (not shown) are also disposed on the finishing tray 400 for properly aligning the copy sheet on the finishing tray 400 transversely. Such an alignment is sequentially executed to successive copy sheets, and thereby a stack of copy sheets are positioned on the finishing tray 400. Then, the stack of copy sheets is stapled by the stapler 302 which is fixedly disposed on the finishing tray 400. Then, the stapled stack of copy sheets is moved transversely by one of the side fences, and thereby the stapled stack of copy sheets is ejected from the finishing tray 400.
Such a stapler unit 3 as disclosed in FIG. 10 suffers from drawbacks in requiring a complicated structure to position and eject the stapled sheets. Further, such a stapler unit 3 as shown in FIG. 10 does not lend itself to a multiple stapling operation.